Macky Sall faces legal action in Senegal over public finance mismanagement

Former Senegalese President Macky Sall, who led the country from 2012 to 2024, is set to face legal proceedings for "extremely serious" actions during his administration, according to the current government. Sall is accused of being responsible for the "false figures" revealed in a recent public finance report.

If legal action is taken, it would mark the first time in Senegal’s history, since its independence in 1960, that a former head of state is prosecuted for their conduct while in office. The West African nation, once a French colony, is renowned for its democratic principles.

Senegal has been under a new government since April, which promotes left-wing Pan-Africanism, sovereignty, and a break from the previous system.

Moustapha Ndjekk Sarré, the government spokesperson, declared that Sall would "inevitably" face justice, blaming him as the primary responsible party for the serious acts committed. Sarré, who also serves as the Minister of Professional Training, likened Sall to a "gang leader" involved in criminal acts, stating that legal action could not be avoided.

This comes after Sall criticized a February 12 report by the Court of Auditors, which questions the management of public finances under his administration. Sarré, in defense of the Court, stated that it is one of the most credible institutions in the Republic and called on Sall to apologize.

Sarré emphasized that Sall was the source of the mismanagement described in the audit reports. He also noted that as a former president, Sall enjoys special jurisdictional privileges, but the country’s independent judiciary would determine if there was any wrongdoing.

The National Assembly recently established a High Court of Justice, which could try the president or government members for "high treason" during each legislature.

The Court of Auditors' report highlighted that the financial discrepancies and management failures might constitute "mismanagement or criminal offenses." The national debt now stands at 99.67% of GDP, higher than previously reported by the former regime, and the revised budget deficit for 2023 is 12.3%, far above the reported 4.9%.

Sall, who has been living in Morocco since leaving office, strongly rejected the allegations of financial falsification, calling them politically motivated. He insisted that his administration operated transparently with its partners, and that the Court of Auditors had always certified the state’s financial accounts. He dismissed the recent claims as "ridiculous."

In September, the Senegalese government accused the former administration of falsifying figures related to the national debt and budget deficit. Sall, unafraid of potential prosecution, responded, saying, "They can pursue me if they want."

On February 13, the new Senegalese authorities announced the possibility of legal action against those responsible for the financial mismanagement revealed by the Court of Auditors. They also proposed the repeal of the amnesty law, which had been enacted under Sall’s presidency and covered political violence from 2021 to 2024. This law was passed in March prior to the presidential election, which saw Bassirou Diomaye Faye elected as president.